Reversible ratchet-wrench.



' C. BAKER.

REVERSIBLE RATCHET WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11. m5.

1,203,685.. PatentedNov. 7,1916.

Witnesses REVERSIBLE RATCHET-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. *7, 1916.

Application filed September 11, 1915. .Serial No. 50,133.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomsburg, in the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Reversible Ratchetrench, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to wrenches, and relates more particularly to reversible ratchet wrenches, it being the obj ect of the invention to provide a reversible ratchet wrench of novel and improved construction and having improved details of construction to enhance the utility and efficiency thereof. 7

It is also within the'scope of the invention to provide a reversible ratchet wrench of simple and inexpensive construction whose parts may be readily separated for purpose of repair, cleaning wrench being adapted especially for applying and removing the spark plugs of internal combustion engines, and being capable of use for other purposes as well. I

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, bination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the wrench. Fig. 2 is a fragmental plan view of the head of the wrench with the cover plate removed. Figs. 3 and a are sectional views taken on the lines 3-3 and s'-t, respectively, of Fig. 2.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a handle or shank 1, preferably cast from suitable metal, and providedat one end with an elongated case or receptacle 2 one end of which is integral with one end of the handle. The case or receptacle 2 is closed by a cover plate 3 applied to the rim thereof, a pair of screws or other securing elements a being engaged through the cover plateand into the bottom of the case 2 adj acent the corners of that end of the case with which the handle is integral. The other ends of the cover plate 3 and case 2 are seor replacement, the

the invention resides in the comcured together by means of a screw or other securing element- 5, the respective end of the cover plate 3 having an apertured ear 6 standing pintle or stud 9 adjacent the inner end of the case. The cover plate 3 is provrded with a circular opening 10 alining with the opening 8 and of slightly smaller diameter than the same. A rotatable sleeve 11 1s journaled for rotation within the openings 8 and 10 so as to project through the case with its end portions projecting beyond thebottom of the caseand the cover plate. The sleeve 11 has a portion 12 of circular contour fitting within the opening 8, and a portion 13 of circular contour and of slightly smaller diameter than the portion 12, the portion 13 fitting within the opening 10. The portions 12 and 13 are provided with hexagonal or non-circular sockets 12 and 13, respectively, which sockets or bores are in alinement to provide a passage extending completely through the sleeve. The sleeve llis provided within the case with a circular enlargement or collar 14 fitting snugly between the bottom of the case and the cover plate, and the collar 14 is provided with peripheral teeth 15 to provide a ratchet wheel. I V s A pair of outwardly projecting pawls or dogs 1617 are disposed within the case 2 and are provided with overlapping butts 18 embracing or pivotally engaging the pintle or stud 9 to pivot the pawls within the case so that the free ends of the pawls are co operable with the ratchet teeth 15. pawls are held in place upon the pintle 9 by the cover plate. I r

A spring is provided within the case for pressing the pawls into engagement with the ratchet wheel, the said spring being formed of wire and having a pair of coils 19 upon the screws 4, to hold the spring in place, and said spring is provided with resilient arms 21 projecting from the coils 19, and a connecting sleeve or yoke 20 between the coils. The arms 21 project outwardly under the pawls 16 and are provided with upwardly extending free ends 22 engaged in suitable aperturesv provided in the pawlsnear the free ends thereof. The arms 21 tend to The I readily removed and applied, and furtherswing toward'one another to thereby swing the pawls similarly. It is to be noted that the pawls are pivoted between the screws 4, and that the spring is of U-shape with its ends engaged with the pawls and having the coils at its bends surrounding the screws 4. This provides a convenient means for yield ably swinging the pawls into engagement with the ratchet wheel when the pawls are released. I

In order to release one or the other of the pawls from the ratchet wheel, a cam or tumbler 23 is disposed within the case between the pawls, and between the pintle 9 and sleeve 11 and is provided with a reduced shank 24 ournaled through a suitable aperture provided in the bottom of the case, and a knob 25 is secured upon the outer project- 'ing end of the shank 24 to hold the cam 23 in place, and to enable said cam to be rotated manually from the outside of the case. The adjacent or inner sides of the pawls are provided with rounded notches 26 for the reception of the rounded end of the cam f 23, whereby when the cam is turned to force one of the pawls away from the ratchet wheel, the notch 26 of said pawl receives the end of the cam 23 for holding the cam in place to prevent the accidental liberation of the pawl.

The cover plate 8 is provided with a circular opening above the cam 23 and the notched portions of the pawls for exposing the same, whereby the operator may readily observe the position and movement of the cam, thus facilitating the manipulation of the cam.

That end of the handle 1 remote from the ratchet head thereof is provided with a V- shaped recess 28 one wall of which is toothed, to provide an alligator wrench which is useful when removing and applying the barrels of inner tubes of pneumatic tires. This end of the handle is also provided with a nut socket 29 adapted especially, in this instance, for removing and applying the jam nuts of spark plugs which are used for fastening the conductors to the plugs. This end. of the handle also has an opening 81 for the reception of spark plug glands in order that the porcelains can be more, said end of the handle has a bifurcated portion 30 whlch 1s useful for removing the porcelain caps of spark plug porcelains, to enable the porcelains to be removed. Although the present invention is adapted especially for use in applying and removing the spark plugs of internal combustion engines, it is evident that the wrench will find a large field of use. The sockets 12 and 18 are adapted for engagement with the wrench-engaging portions of the shells of spark plugs of various sizes, the sleeve being readily placed over the spark plug so that the proper socket receives the wrench engaging portion of the spark plug, in order that the plug will rotate with the sleeve.

When one of the pawls is disengaged from the ratchet wheel or collar 14, the other pawl is effective for rotating the sleeve i11- termittently when the handle 1 is oscillated, and by reversing the position of the pawls, the sleeve 11 will be rotated in a reverse direction. When both pawls engage the ratchet wheel or collar 14, the handle will be fixed relative to the sleeve, so that the sleeve will rotate when the handle is swung in either direction.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is A ratchet wrench embodying a handle provided at one end with an elongated case whose bottom has a circular opening adjacent its outer end and a pintle adjacent its inner end, a cover plate closing said case and having a circular opening adjacent its outer end alining with the first mentioned opening, a pair of securing elements fastening the inner end of the cover to the bottom of the case at the inner corners of the case, a rotatable member journaled through said openings and having an enlarged toothed collar disposed snugly between the bottom of the case and the cover plate, a pair of outwardly projecting pawls cooperable with said collar and having overlapped butts pivoted upon said pintle, a U-shaped wire spring within the case having coils at its bends surrounding said securing elements, the arms of the spring projecting outwardly under the pawls and the ends of the spring extending upwardly into the pawls to swing them into engagement with said collar.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

F. M. CFERIOH, CLYDE L. HIRLEMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D 0.

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